Shire Of Shark Bay

What Shire Of Shark Bay does

The Shire of Shark Bay is a local government authority in Western Australia's Gascoyne Region, serving the westernmost point of Australia. Its statutory remit covers planning, building approvals, rates administration, waste management, emergency services coordination, environmental health, ranger services, and community development for a permanent population of approximately 946 residents (2016 Census) within a 2.2 million hectare World Heritage-listed area. The Shire is headquartered in Denham (65 Knight Terrace, Denham WA 6537) and delivers services through the main office, the Shark Bay Community Resource Centre (for Department of Transport licensing), and the Shark Bay Recreation Centre (multi-purpose court, meeting room, 24/7 gym, venue hire). Core operational assets include the Herald Denham Centre Units (25 independent living units for seniors), the Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery & Visitor Centre, and venue hire across multiple council facilities. Technology underpinning operations is a standard local government website (www.sharkbay.wa.gov.au) with online forms, document management, and Google Analytics, certified to WCAG 2.0 Double-A accessibility standards.

The Shire's revenue model rests on three streams: differential annual council rates levied on properties by category and zoning, regulated fees and charges (planning, building, refuse site, facility hire), and government grants including Royalties for Regions and state/federal program funding. Customer-facing channels combine in-person service, phone, email, community text messaging, Facebook, and the seasonal Wirruwana News newsletter. Distribution is exclusively domestic and anchored in Denham, with no global footprint. The Shire engages a wide stakeholder network spanning the Gascoyne Development Commission, Tourism WA, DBCA, Malgana Traditional Owners, neighboring shires (Carnarvon, Exmouth, Upper Gascoyne), DevelopmentWA, Screenwest, URBIS, WAMSI, the Shark Bay Business & Tourism Association, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, supporting initiatives such as Destination Shark Bay, the Draft Gascoyne Regional Arts Plan, and the Film Friendly Location program. Strategic priorities are tourism development, residential land release (Denham Estate), arts and cultural programming, and emergency preparedness for a remote community.

Name

Shire Of Shark Bay

Legal name

Shire of Shark Bay

Website

https://sharkbay.wa.gov.au

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Shire of Shark Bay is a local government authority in Western Australia serving approximately 946 permanent residents and 108,000 annual visitors in the World Heritage-listed Shark Bay region, delivering statutory services including planning, rates, waste management, recreation, and emergency coordination from its Denham headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Government Services

NAICS

Marinas (71393)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Local government services
• Council rates administration
• Waste management services
• Community recreation facilities
• Visitor information services

Headquarters

HQ city

Denham

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Council Rates: The Shire generates revenue through differential rates levied on properties within the shire boundaries. Rates notices are issued annually with Rating Statements published for each financial year.
2. Fees and Charges: Various service fees including planning fees, building fees, facility hire fees, refuse site fees, and other council service charges.
3. Government Grants: The Shire receives funding through Royalties for Regions and other state/federal government grants for infrastructure projects and community development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Shire of Shark Bay operates as a local government authority delivering statutory council services, community facilities, and tourism services to residents, ratepayers, businesses, and visitors of the Shark Bay region in Western Australia. Core services include council rates administration, planning and building approvals, waste collection, ranger services, emergency management coordination, and operation of community infrastructure such as the Recreation Centre, Community Gym, senior independent living units, and the World Heritage Discovery & Visitor Centre.

Product overview

Shire of Shark Bay operates as a local government council providing community services, facilities, and public administration for the Shark Bay region. The council offers a portfolio of services including recreation facilities (Shark Bay Recreation Centre with 24/7 gym and multi-purpose courts), community housing (Herald Denham Centre Units for seniors), and visitor services (Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery & Visitor Centre). The council also provides venue hire services across multiple facilities and hosts community events and exhibitions. These services are delivered through the council's administrative office and various community facilities throughout Denham.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shark Bay Recreation Centre Multi-purpose indoor recreation facility in Denham featuring a multi-purpose court, meeting room, kitchen, and 24/7 Gym; serves as an Evacuation Centre during emergencies. Built in 2012 with Royalties for Regions funding and is adjacent to the town oval, skate park, outdoor courts, and Shark Bay Bowling, Sport and Recreation Club. Available for community use and venue hire.
• Shark Bay Community Gym Modern, well-equipped 24/7 gym inside the Shark Bay Recreation Centre providing cardio equipment (cross-trainers, treadmills, exercise bikes, rowing machine) and a strength training area with free weights, barbells, and pin-loaded resistance machines. Open to local community members; not available for casual public access.
• Herald Denham Centre Units Twenty-five one-bedroom independent living homes located at 23 Hughes Street, Denham, providing long-term rental accommodation for aged residents of the Shire. Units include a combined bathroom and laundry, kitchen, and combined living and dining area; the Shire Council is responsible for all maintenance.
• Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery & Visitor Centre Visitor information centre located at 53 Knight Terrace, Denham, providing tourism information about the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Shark Bay region and offering booking services for holiday accommodations for the approximately 108,000 visitors per year to the region.
• Venue Hire Services Council-managed venue and equipment hire service covering the Denham Town Hall, Denham Town Oval, Shark Bay Recreation Centre Courts, George Wear Park, Rose De Freycinet Art Gallery, and ancillary equipment (portable stage, sound system, lectern, 240L bins, inflatable Air Dancer) for community groups, events, and private bookings.
• Waste Collection and Refuse Site Services Council-operated refuse site and waste collection/disposal service available to Shire residents and ratepayers, with publicly listed refuse site fees. Recognized in 2020 with the Tidy Towns Sustainable Award for Litter Prevention & Waste Management.
• Ranger Services Council ranger services providing animal control, environmental health enforcement, parking and local law compliance, and related regulatory functions across the Shire of Shark Bay.
• Department of Transport Licensing (via Shark Bay Community Resource Centre) Department of Transport licensing services delivered on behalf of the WA state government through the Shark Bay Community Resource Centre at 10 Denham Road, providing printing, internet access, and government services to residents and visitors.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Shire of CarnarvonmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2025Collaboration on Draft Gascoyne Regional Arts Plan to boost arts and cultural partnerships and support creative programs in the region.
• Shire of ExmouthmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2025Collaboration on Draft Gascoyne Regional Arts Plan to boost arts and cultural partnerships and support creative programs in the region.
• Shire of Upper GascoynemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2025Collaboration on Draft Gascoyne Regional Arts Plan to boost arts and cultural partnerships and support creative programs in the region.
• Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural IndustriescoreOthers · 22 August 2025Provided funding for the development of the Draft Gascoyne Regional Arts Plan.
• ScreenwestmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 February 2021Film Friendly program partnership - Shark Bay registered as film friendly location providing one-stop-shop contact for filmmakers.
• URBISminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 June 2019Engaged in June 2019 to measure business confidence, conditions and investment in the Shark Bay region. Produced Business Analysis Report.
• Gascoyne Development CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership on Destination Shark Bay project - a collaborative approach to reimagining the World Heritage Shark Bay Region for new commercial and tourism experience ventures. Also partners on Gascoyne Regional Arts Plan.
• Tourism Western AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking group partner in Destination Shark Bay project to promote tourism and develop new commercial experiences in the World Heritage region.
• Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and AttractionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking group partner in Destination Shark Bay project. Manages national parks including Francois Peron National Park and Steep Point. Collaborates on Hamelin Pool Boardwalk project.
• Malgana Traditional OwnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking group partner in Destination Shark Bay project to promote Malgana aspirations for the World Heritage area and involve traditional owners in development planning.
• Local BusinessescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking group partner in Destination Shark Bay project representing local commercial interests in tourism development.
• DevelopmentWAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState Government's central development agency responsible for sale of land in Denham Estate subdivision. Works with the Shire on compliance with Denham Estate Design Guidelines.
• LandCorpmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated the Denham Estate subdivision. Design Guidelines were prepared by Taylor Burrell Barnett planning consultants.
• Shark Bay Business & Tourism AssociationmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMembership-based organization representing local businesses and tourism operators. Promotes local tourism and economic development.
• Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided literature review and metadata collation of marine research in Shark Bay (Gathaagudu) from 1949-2020, including 775 pieces of literature and 962 metadata entries.
• Australian Bureau of StatisticsminorOthersSupports the 2026 Census through community field officer recruitment in the Shark Bay region.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Regional players

• Shire of Ashburton: Large, remote Western Australian shire covering a significant land area with mining and pastoral economy. Comparable as a remote WA local government authority with similar service delivery and infrastructure challenges, though in a different economic region.
• Shire of East Pilbara: Very large remote Western Australian shire with a small population base and significant mining activity. Comparable as a remote WA local government operating across a vast land area with limited ratepayers per hectare.

Broad incumbents

• City of Greater Geraldton: Larger regional local government authority in the Mid West/Gascoyne corridor of Western Australia. Comparable as a regional WA council delivering similar services but with a much larger ratepayer base and broader infrastructure mandate.

Others

• Tourism Western Australia: State tourism authority and Destination Shark Bay working group partner. Comparable as a key ecosystem stakeholder driving tourism promotion and demand that underpins the Shire's visitor economy and related service revenue.
• Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA): WA state agency managing national parks adjacent to the Shire (Francois Peron National Park, Steep Point) and a Destination Shark Bay partner. Comparable as a government ecosystem partner with overlapping jurisdiction over the World Heritage Area and natural resource management.
• Gascoyne Development Commission: Western Australian regional development body partnering with the Shire on Destination Shark Bay and regional arts planning. Comparable as a regional economic development stakeholder collaborating on tourism and community development in the Gascoyne.

Direct peers

• Shire of Carnarvon: Neighboring Western Australian local government authority in the Gascoyne Region, collaborating with Shark Bay on the Draft Gascoyne Regional Arts Plan. Comparable as a remote coastal WA shire delivering similar council services to a small population.
• Shire of Christmas Island: Small, remote Australian local government authority serving an island community with significant tourism and environmental management responsibilities. Comparable as a remote, tourism-dependent shire with constrained rate base and grant dependency.
• Shire of Exmouth: Neighboring Gascoyne Region local government authority and Draft Gascoyne Regional Arts Plan partner. Comparable as a remote WA shire heavily dependent on tourism (Ningaloo/Ningaloo Reef) and marine/coastal economic activity.
• Shire of Upper Gascoyne: Another Gascoyne Region local government authority and Draft Gascoyne Regional Arts Plan partner. Comparable as a small, remote WA shire with a pastoral-based economy and similar council service portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ShireofSharkBay
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shire-of-shark-bay

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shire Of Shark Bay